Improved washing-machine



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

JOHN PREHN, OF NEV YORIQ'N. Y.

IMPROVED WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 106,870, dated August 30, 1870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PREHN, of the city of New York, in the county and State of New,

York,haveinventedanewand Improved Washing-Machine; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying d rawin g, forming part ot this specification.

Figure l represents a longitudinal section of my improved washing-machine. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view, partly in section, of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to a new machine for washing clothes; and consists in a novel mechanical movement for imparting a peculiar scooping, rolling, and pressing action to the plunger, by which the garments are agitated.

A in the drawing represents the suds-box ot' my improved washing-machine. The same is made ot' rectangular or other suitable form, and is supported by legs or standards B B. Near one end of the suds-box is hung in the same a transverse crank-shaft, C, which carries at its outer end ahand-crank, a, and fly-wheel b, or other device for receiving rotary motion. The shaft C is, by means of one or more rods, d d, connected with the transverse plunger or agitating-plate D of the machine. The rods l are, at about their middle portions, connected with a transverse bar, c, whose ends. tit into horizontal grooves or grooved plates j', that are arranged on the inner sides of the sudsbox. The ends of the bars c carry friction-rollers, to move easily in. thc horizont-al tracks.

From the lower edge of the plunger l) projects a lip or ilange, g, serving as a scoop for lifting the clothes. Opposite to the plunger is affixed to the ends ot the suds-box a wedge-shaped transverse plate, h, along which the clothes are rolled up by said plunger.

The operation is as follows: The clothes are placed into the suds-box between the plunger and that end of the box to which the rib h is applied. By revolving the shaft C the plunger receives a combined oscillating a-nd reciprocating motion, reciprocating by the movement ot' the bar c in the straight track j', and oscillating by the action of the crank, which causes the connecting-rods to swing on the bar c-that is, their pivot. By the peculiar motion thus imparted to the plunger the same is caused to iirst move along the bottoln of the suds-boX, gather up the clothes, then lift the same, press them against the plate h, roll them over, and tina-ll y drop them again upon the bottom to resume the former operation. The clothes receive thereby the requisite degree ot' agitation to become cleaned without being injnred by the process.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The plunger D, connected by the rods l with a crank-shaft, C, and combined with a transverse bar, e, whose ends move in horizontal grooves or tracks, substantially as herei n shown and described.

JOHN PREHN.

lVi tnesses:

GEO. W. MABEE, T. B. Mosman. 

